Dominaria: Round of 64
Series Preview
Ground rules for this tournament.
Round of 128 results here.
The first round by went mostly as expected: with a lot of big legends taking down their smaller (and lower-seeded) non-legendary opponents. Barring a few upsets – most notably Dread Shade – it feels like most of the powerful creatures are still alive heading into the Round of 64.
Two types of creatures to watch out for: (1) the ones who makes themselves bigger (Marwyn, Rat Colony, Benalish Marshal, Arvad, Sporecrown Thallid); and (2) the ones who have those triple-pip colored mana costs who aren’t as restricted in this format. All of them cleaned up their first round matches nicely (again, with the exception of Dread Shade), and it would not be a surprise to see several of them make the Elite Eight.
Note: Hover over the names to see card images.
Round of 64
(1)
The top-seeded Muldrotha is able to hold onto things initially, trading one-for-one with the 9/3 Yargle. However, once Yargle gets to 10 mana and drops two down on one turn, Muldrotha can’t respond. It doesn’t have enough cards to both play and recur a Muldrotha on Turn 12, and as such Yargle with its extra attacker quickly takes this one home.
(2)
The Pilgrim gets off to a fast start, with 9 hasting damage. But once the first Lyra with Lifelink comes down, the Pilgrim is no longer able to attack profitably. Lyra ends it shortly after that with a 6/6 Lifelink strike in the air followed by two 7/7 Lifelink strikes the next turn.
(3)
The cheaper Shalai outspeeds and outnumbers Urgoros to an easy victory.
(4)
Just as the first Multani comes down (while they’re clinging to 6 life), a horde of four 2/2 Kavu and a 5/5 Kavu rush in to finish things off.
(5)
With the absence of historic synergies, the two creatures have the exact same stats. And so, it goes to Jhoira by default.
(6)
A total blowout. Marwyn and its explosive growth (see Round of 128) takes down the overcosted Djinn two turns before the first one comes down.
(7)
The Two-Headed Giant gets lucky in this one, because both of their two attackers on Turn 6 get Double Strike, forcing one of the 5/5 Naru Meha’s to block and trade. Problem is, the Naru Meha counterattack the next turn forces a chump block, and the Wizard Legend takes over from there.
(Note that sitting back and double-blocking to trade won’t work for the Giant either, as they don’t have the numbers to both double-block and survive.)
(8)
Even with the lone Tiana blocker on the last turn, the Rats are able to wipe her out with 27 damage by Turn 5.
(9)
Tatyova attacks aggressively from the start, forcing trades all the way until their Turn 10, where all the card draw allows them to start dropping two a turn indefinitely, eventually finishing off the Adept long before its ability ever comes into play.
(10)
The bigger and cheaper Champion rolls through Raff Capashen with ease.
(11)
The 14 free damage that the Knight lands before the first Minotaur Cleric comes down is just too much to recover from.
(53)
The more efficient Lavarunner trades its way to an inevitable victory.
(77)
Note: Not confidently solved.
If the Construct goes on the offensive to start, it’ll run out of gas – as even with those +1/+1 counters there will be just enough Elf blockers to hold off the assault.
As such, all the Envoy needs to do is wait it out, until it can attack with enough guys to push some damage through and/or force chump blocks (while not dying from a counter-attack).
The concept here is that while in theory a Construct – since it effectively produces two power – should trade with an Envoy, in practice their smaller initial size means that Envoy can dictate the pace at which those +1/+1 counters get put on. As such, the Envoy is able to capture the edge long-term.
(14)
The Trickster can flash in to shut down one Kwende blocker each turn, giving the merfolk a much wider opening for a third and fourth wave of attacks that finishes them off.
(15)
The Lich Knight takes over this one from the start.
(49)
Five free shots is enough for even a 1-power two-drop to take the match.
(17)
Ownage.
(18)
The mega-cute owl wins again, a little more convincingly this time; holding off the Scouts until the dropping of six birds on Turn 6 seals it.
(19)
A puny 1/3 is simply no match for what quickly becomes a horde of four attacking 6/6s (on Turn 5).
(20)
The Servants can actually hold off Danitha indefinitely. But they have no way whatsoever to make a dent in her life total – thanks that convenient Lifelink ability. A default win it is.
(21)
Jodah gets its six aerial strikes (and 24 damage) in before Evra and its Lifelink ability can even engage in combat.
(22)
The bulky 3-mana Djinn stems just enough of the early Bodyguard assault, hanging on at four life before crushing them with one big alpha strike in the air.
(23)
The Knight gets one free shot in before Verix starts hitting the board and takes over.
(24)
A tight one.
Adeliz gets off to a fast start, but the threat of Traxos’s 14-damage strike on Turn 6 forces them to leave behind a chump blocker. Meaning Adeliz don’t have enough to finish things off next turn, before Traxos ends things for good with a second blast of 21 damage.
(25)
A 4/4 Marshal attacker on Turn 4, two 5/5 attackers on Turn 5, and three 6/6 attackers on Turn 6 is more than enough to overpower the Pegasus.
(26)
Radha’s mana ability builds up fast. One 3/4 attacker on Turn 4, turns into two attackers Turn 5, turns into four attackers Turn 6, turns into seven attackers Turn 7. And that’s game, before the Saprolings can even enter the equation.
(27)
Aryel’s ability to use its extra mana to shoot down Disciples (even after attacking) prevents those birds from building up any kind of sizable army, as the flood of 4/4s eventually takes the game over.
(92)
The cheap, menacing Confessors are too much for the Journeymage, and take them down in five quick strikes.
(29)
Even discounting its tax effect, Baird always has enough blockers. Its 4 toughness stops the Omnivore one-for-one, and any attempt to sac-pump would be killing an Omnivore anyways. Baird grinds to another default victory.
(30)
The cheaper Naban outspeeds the four-mana 2/2.
(31)
By the time the first Allosaurus comes down, Sporecrown has already got two 5/5s attacking – forcing a trade. The turn after, it’s now two 6/6s attacking; which leads to a chump and the end soon after.
(33)
As soon as the lifelinking 3/3 Arvad comes down, the night for the smaller Honor Guard is over.
Onto the Round of 32…